Prince Consort

Chapter 11


Severus sighed sitting down, grateful for the reprieve, he hadn't been able to spend the afternoon getting to know Harry as he would have liked. Regretfully after lunch, Selvic's mate had gone into labor, and as the resident Potions Master and healer, along with Alfred, they had tended to him. Truthfully, they had been asked to be there for it, given all Selvic and his mate had been through, Severus hadn't denied them the only request they had ever made after years of faithful service.

Selvic's mate, Adam had given birth relatively easily, to a little boy. He had then wished them luck and told them he didn't want to see them for at least a week or two. They would, of course, continue to be paid, for their loyalty over the years. Severus knew how to ensure people's loyalties, and it wasn't by making them terrified of you. No, to keep them loyal you had to at first make them respect you, fear your wrath and also make them like you. Hard combination to achieve, but Severus had succeeded but given the state the vampire world had been in with his predecessor, it couldn't have gotten any worse.

To matters worse, as if the day couldn't get any worse, a few of his people had gone AWOL. They hadn't returned when they said they would; now a few others were now out there looking for them. Severus could only hope they were at the very least safe, he'd asked them to look into what the Dark Lord was doing. Nothing dangerous, just scouring for information, not spying per se, but keeping an ear out down Knockturn Alley and few other places the Death Eaters liked to frequent. He knew exactly where they went; he had after all once been one of them.

Severus gazed over at his bed, a feeling of elation coursed through him. He finally, after all those years, had his mate with him. He would, of course, keep his word, there would be nothing happening, not until Harry was one hundred percent willing and sure. Which admittedly might take a bit of time, he wasn't under any illusions everything would be okay yet. He liked to think of it as the calm before the storm, Harry would need time. A lot of time to get over how he was brought here, perhaps with the revenge on Dumbledore might prove some entertainment and revenge for Harry help gain his forgiveness. For Harry to truly realize he'd done the right thing, there was little doubt what he said, would have to happen. The world would have to realize Harry had done something scary yet wonderful. There might even be a chance of the world turning against him; he knew how fickle the world was. If it didn't meet your standards, fit into that little box of expectations or comprehensions then you were discarded, feared for something they didn't understand.

Severus' finger scraped against the chair he was currently sitting in, a small wry smile making its way onto his face. His mind coming up with ways to…drive his mate to distraction. Oh yes, he was going to have an amusing time with that. There were many ways to torment someone with need, without being obvious about it. Even if Harry was Slytherin, he wouldn't know what hit him. Severus hissed when he realized the …affect it was having on him. As much as he would have liked to…attend to it, he had more urgent matters to deal with. He had a mangy cur to deal with, one he would have to allow access to his home. One he would have to accept since he was obviously close to Harry. It made his stomach turn, but he didn't have to like the werewolf, just tolerate him. First things first, the flea-bitten mongrel had information he wanted, needs a must. Vacating the now scratched chair, which looked like it had gone three rounds with a cat, he left the bedroom and made way for the small study across the landing. He didn't want this conflict waking Harry up, for he knew it would turn into one. He had no doubt the wolf hadn't changed much in the years since they met.

Severus scooped up the powder from the ceramic jar, stepped in and flung into the fire at his feet, shouting the name of Lupin's flat. He doubted the wolf had changed the name; it cost too much to do such a thing. He was not, however, prepared to be rebound back through the Floo Network. By sheer willpower, he managed to remain on his feet when he was ejected from his own fireplace. His nostrils flared, so the wolf wasn't accepting visitors, thankfully one could still visit his fireplace. His lip curling, he knelt down, throwing a new handful into the flames and repeating himself, as he stuck only his head into it.

After a rather dizzying experience, feeling as though his head was being detached from its body as it whizzed on through the network. Severus looked around the flat, and felt rather disconcerted, the flat looked abandoned. Lupin, could not have been able to afford a different place surely? He didn't want his mate aware he wanted to speak to the wolf. Then his vampire ears were able to pick up subtle breathing. Someone was here, yet why was the place so damn deserted? Surely the man had some furniture? He couldn't be that bad off could he? If Harry called him 'dad' surely he lived with him?

"LUPIN!" snarled Severus loudly, his voice reverberating around the desolate room. "GET YOUR FLEA INFESTED SELF DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW." it felt so good to get that off his chest. After treading on egg shells all day, particularly around Harry. He smothered his amusement when he heard a muffled thump from above followed by a curse.

Remus' hearing picked up the sound of the voice clearly, he knew who that was, and he hadn't heard that voice in what…fifteen years probably longer. Why the hell was Severus Snape getting in touch with him for? Not like he had been able to sleep, his trip to Hogwarts had proved an utter failure, neither Harry nor Dumbledore had been there. Dumbledore still hadn't returned by midnight, and so he had decided to go tomorrow morning and get answers, straight from the horse's mouth. Quickly running down the stairs, he entered his empty living room, "What the…" muttered Remus staring into the fire, almost squinting as if he couldn't believe his eyes. Yes, he'd been aware the man was alive, he'd sent him his Wolfsbane potion but never in a million years had he expected the man to show up in his fireplace of all places. "Snape is that you?"

"Of course it's me, still as idiotic as ever I see?" said Severus rolling his eyes, an eyebrow rose and sneer on his lip - unmistakable. He couldn't find it in himself to be downright vicious though. The wizard looked exhausted, black bags under his eyes, and well simply put despite his surprise he looked utterly wretched. Feeling bad for the wolf didn't mean he had to like him.

"As fun as it is to have you in my fireplace spouting insults, not that it's anything original mind you, heard it all before…if there's a purpose to this visit then, by all means, do tell," said Remus dryly, not rising to the bait. There would have been a time, long ago, he would have gotten furious or hunched his back and took it like a coward having Sirius and James defend him. Not anymore, he was no longer the 'Omega', no; Snape was looking at a proud Alpha. Harry had made him finally accept who he was, what he was. Something even James, Sirius and Lily had not been able to do. The transformations were a lot less painful after he accepted himself, and his wolf. Then he'd started getting the potion, now he barely felt anything, although admittedly he still ached like hell and felt extremely weak, it was nothing on how it used to be. He'd used up to three or four spend days in the infirmary or flat recovering. Then there was the fact he just wanted his son, but he may as well be a million miles away at the moment.

Severus suddenly found a new respect for the wolf, which of course he would deny even upon his death bed. The wizard before him had changed; he wasn't the boy he'd once known. It shouldn't have surprised him really, they had all grown up. "I need a word with you," said Severus deciding to play nice. For the moment.

"Why?" asked the amber eyes man suspiciously, after all these years why would he want a 'word' as he put it with him? They'd been well…enemies, more on Severus' part than him.

"Just indulge me will you, Lupin?" groaned Severus, uncharacteristically.

Remus blinked at the man, wondering what on earth had happened to the old Snape he used to know. "Err…" was all the stunned man was able to utter. Strangely enough, it was Severus' eye rolling that brought him back. "Fine, come through I'll reset the network to allow visitors."

"To sit on my backside on the floorboards? I think not." Severus sneered in distaste, "Come through in three minutes, the code to get though is Prince Castle."

"Then it's a good thing I have Floo Powder then is it not?" said Remus dryly, but Snape was already gone. To say this day had been the longest in his life, and weirdest would be putting it lightly. He was exhausted, mentally, but his body didn't seem to want to relax. He couldn't relax, not with the knowledge his son could be hurt mentally and or physically. The worry and fear were new to him, at least this kind of fear anyway. Maria was just as worried; she'd had to resort to slipping the dreamless sleeping potion into Teddy and Blaise's drink to keep them in the Manor. From what she'd said they'd been ready to go to Hogwarts and steal Harry back, by any means necessary. Harry had good, true friends; it's the sort of thing he'd have done for James back in the day. As it is, they wouldn't have succeeded any more than he had. Tomorrow he would just have to go see Dumbledore, find out what he could, even if it meant threatening the old fool. He shook off his thoughts, realizing he'd spent too much time thinking. Grabbing the Floo powder he yelled 'Prince Castle' into the flames and before he knew it he was being spat out.

Remus gagged the second he became aware of the horrible smell. A smell he was familiar with, one that made the little hair on the back of his head stand up and his body tense in anticipation. The smell of death surrounded Snape, he was a vampire, but for some reason he didn't smell as bad as others, he'd met. After he got used to the smell he found it didn't bother him, which definitely was not normal.

"You don't smell any better trust me," said Severus bluntly, watching the werewolf with hawk eyes. It didn't take a genius to figure out what Lupin was thinking. Actually, if he was honest, he wolf only smelt of an extremely wet dog with a feral sense of danger to him. One he had never noticed before, but his senses were enormously heightened with him being a vampire now.

"You're a vampire?" snorted Remus, unable to help himself; his lips were pressed together as he tried to reign in his amusement. Who could blame him? Black had almost turned Snape into a werewolf in their sixth year, now here Severus Snape was - a vampire. It seemed as though he had always meant to be a vampire. He was curious about how it happened. It would explain why the man had not been seen since he was twenty, twenty-one years old.

"Indeed," said Severus dryly, not sharing Lupin's amusement on the subject at all.

"What do you want me for?" asked Remus his amusement gone replaced with wariness and a curious sense of guilt. Remus felt very bad for laughing or being amused when his cub, his son was out there somewhere.

As a precautionary measure he locked his study door putting as much magic into as possible, so Lupin's attempts to open it the first few times would be futile. Remus eyed Snape with trepidation; he could sense the magic being done, even if he didn't know what it was exactly. Yet Snape didn't seem to care what he thought, he merely sat down nodding at him to do the same. Remus sat down in the seat opposite the wizard turned vampire. Two goblets of wine appeared before them, it's when he realized that Snape couldn't be a turned vampire, and otherwise he wouldn't be drinking wine. So he'd been mated to a born vampire and turned. He couldn't have had the inheritance himself or he would have come to it on his seventeenth birthday.

Severus wasn't exactly sure where to start, did he tell the man he had Harry or did he get answers first? Would the wolf even tell him anything if he didn't reveal his own history first? Drinking some wine, he waited until Lupin did the same before he began speaking.

"Have you ever wondered who intervened the night the Potters died?" asked Severus replacing his goblet, deciding the start was the best place to begin.

"Yes, nearly every day," said Remus eyeing Severus speculatively.

"The events that happened, weren't exactly as they were reported." said Severus, "I got there just as Lily had been brought down…I reached the house as I heard her begging for Harry's life. As I reached the nursery door, I saw her fall; in my fury, I cast the killing curse at the Dark Lord's back."

"You?" said Remus his amber eyes filled with tears as he realized what Lily's last words will have been. It didn't surprise him, Lily had loved Harry, she had been so proud of him, and each achievement had been proudly bragged over. Like all mothers with their first child, yet Lily had been exuberant over it. Harry had been her proudest achievement, her N.E.W.T scores paled insignificantly to her son. Snape had been the one to save Harry's life?

"I thought so," said Severus wryly, "It wasn't until a day after my inheritance did I realize what really happened."

"What really happened?" echoed Remus, Snape wasn't making any sense to him at all.

"The Dark Lord had already cast the killing curse at Harry when I also cast the curse. It hit Harry and rebound upon the Dark Lord, at the same time mines hit him," said Severus swirling the wine around in the goblet.

Remus looked torn between horrified and shocked, he couldn't believe his ears. "Hh-h-how?" stuttered the shocked werewolf.

"I have no idea," said Severus smoothly, "I knew what Dumbledore would do if he realized what Harry could do, so I let the ruse continue. Let him believe it was me alone that had defeated Voldemort that night. With Voldemort back, it's only a matter of time before Dumbledore finds out."

Remus paled, looking sick to his stomach, as he thought he finally had the dots connected "I think he already does." he felt even more defeated now.

"No actually he doesn't, at least not yet," smirked Severus his black eyes flashing in satisfaction.

"You don't understand Dumbledore just got custody of him," said Remus choking on the words. What was Dumbledore doing to his son? Oh, Merlin, he had to find him, he had to leave and find him quickly. He didn't know what the old fool was capable off, but he didn't want to find his son broken and nothing more than a puppet on strings doing whatever the Order asked him to do

"How did he gain custody of Harry?" asked Severus, finally getting to the matter at hand. He knew that Dumbledore, to do what he had done, had to have gained magical custody of Harry not family custody given all he'd found out.

"Black," was all Remus could say.

"Black? Why would he give up custody of his own godson?" asked Severus sitting up, taking an interest in what he was saying now. This was the second time today he'd heard someone say Black with as much loathing as he felt.

"He…um when James and Lily died…I thought Sirius would get custody of Harry. He didn't, no matter how much I begged and pleaded him; he just told me that Harry would be safer in the Muggle world. Away from the war, the Death Eaters, using each arrest he made as proof of it. It drove a wedge between us, I had stupidly hoped something was wrong, but when the regular tests at the Ministry showed no tampering I realized he truly felt that way. Nothing I said or did would make any difference; he was always a stubborn, stupid idiot. He spent so much time at work, never joining me for the full moon…soon I hardly ever saw him at all. I could have asked him to choose between his career and me, but I didn't want to it was hardly fair. In the end, I left him, it was the hardest thing I've ever done." said Remus drinking the remains of his goblet, and before his eyes, it filled up once again. "I went to Dumbledore; I wanted to see Harry even if Sirius didn't."

Severus listened to Remus' tale, feeling complete bafflement, Black had adored Harry. Hell, he acted like a bloody mother with their first born, acting as if Harry could already walk on water by the time he was two months old.

"Anyway, Dumbledore refused to tell me where Harry was, all I had to go on was the name. Dursley, thankfully I had listened to Lily even if Black never did. Unfortunately, the Dursley's was a very popular name. It took me years to go around them all, but the ones that didn't slam the door on my face told me they didn't have a Harry Potter living with them. Regardless of whether they told me or not I used to watch the house for a few days…to make sure. After a few years, each Dursley family was crossed off; obviously, the ones I was looking for weren't in the phone book. I lost hope, but didn't stop looking."

"Go on," said Severus hopefully the alcohol would loosen his tongue, then again with werewolf metabolism - fat chance.

"I even tried sending him letters, and following the owl, but they were never able to deliver them to Harry. There must have been some sort of wards that stopped Wizards from getting in touch with him," growled Remus just remembering the feeling or defeat and depression he'd felt when another idea failed. "I knew though when it came time for Hogwarts my letters would get to him. As soon as it was around time for the feast to be over, I wrote a letter and set it off with the mail owl service. He got back in touch the next day, proposing to meet up in Diagon Alley."

"Just how did he manage that?" asked Severus blankly, was the boy more Slytherin than he'd given him credit for? Sneaking out of Hogwarts on his first day there? No, the school for some inane reason, started classes right away the next day unless it was a weekend which only happened once in his seven years there.

"The Dursley's hadn't given him money for his school supplies, even left him to find the barrier himself." snarled Remus his amber eyes flashing with his fury at the people who'd neglected his son. "His stupid father didn't help matters either!" Remus took another large gulp of the wine; it was most definitely the finest wine he'd ever tasted. It was so good to be able to rage at the idiotic blunder James had made.

Severus rose his eyebrow in shock, had the world spun on its axis in the past few years that he was unaware of? People were actually aware of how stupid James Potter had always been? It's just a shame it had come too late - the man was dead. At least he had done something honorable, he did try and defend his wife and son, died trying actually.

"Not just James' fault either, I don't know what possessed him. Giving monthly allowances to St. Mungo's, Hogwarts scholarship and the bloody Order," said Remus his voice filled with exasperation, it was obvious he'd thought about it a lot. "James and Lily's will wasn't read, Dumbledore stopped it using one of the old laws - to wait until Harry was old enough for the will to be read. The Potter vaults are in disarray and Harry didn't have much money, would have only seen him a couple of years out of Hogwarts fifteen years if he was extremely careful. Now Dumbledore has control of them again."

"Dumbledore doesn't have control over the vaults or Harry, come to that. I do, Harry belongs to me, Dumbledore handed him over in exchange for twenty of my best-trained fighters," said Severus wryly.

Severus wasn't surprised by the fist that came out to punch him, he automatically ducked, his wand shoved under Remus' chin threateningly. In the space of a second, it had gone from a sort of comradeship to enemies.

"I'll kill you, Snape, I don't know how but ill figure out a way," swore Remus his entire face full of wrath. Promised retribution for what he had done. To think he'd just spilled his guts to the man who was going to use his son. He felt sick; he felt the wolf coming to the surface, as he bared his teeth in an animalistic manner at Snape before he snapped bodily throwing himself at the vampire.

One minute Remus was lunging at Severus Snape, the next second he was landing with a grunt back to the floor. With a furious Severus Snape glaring down at him. Damn, he'd forgotten about the vampires' quick reflexes. Still, Snape shouldn't have been able to bring him down that easily, he wasn't exactly human. He was stronger than humans since he was a werewolf. Breathing heavily, trying to get his winded lungs to cooperate so he could threaten the man again. How dare he do this to his son? Harry wasn't James! It just wasn't fair at all. Harry didn't deserve this; he'd never said a bad thing about anyone. Okay, maybe one person, but Dumbledore did deserve it. Alright two, Black deserved it as well. He struggled against Snape's iron hold, wanting a chance to hit the man somewhere. Anywhere, just to get rid of the anger he could feel coursing through him right now.

It was such a stupid stunt to pull, if Severus had been doing it to abuse Harry. Remus would have only made matters worse, unfortunately, the wizard just wasn't thinking straight. As it stood, Severus wasn't doing it for revenge, and the wizard was about to make that very clear to the werewolf.

"You listen tome wolf, and listen closely." snarled Severus his voice loud enough to be heard around the castle if not for the silencing spells. He had to stop himself hurting the idiotic wolf; he knew Harry wouldn't forgive him if he did. So for that reason and that alone spared Lupin being hurt. "I have no intentions of hurting MY MATE, " he said possessively.

That did it; Remus stilled his amber eyes going wide. "Alright, I'll listen," said Remus in surrender, he'd have put his hands up, but they were currently held in a bruising grip by the vampire. He knew without listening that Harry was safe. Remus knew how sacred mates were. He was a werewolf, after all, he hadn't been lucky enough for his creature side to mate with anyone.

Severus got up, removing his hands and knees from where they'd dug into Remus' body. He hadn't got to where he was by letting anyone get the best of him. Thankfully he had cast the silencing spells; no doubt his guards would have gone too far. They were overzealous in their attempts to protect him. Which wouldn't have gone over well with Harry. For some reason, the boy thought of Remus as a father figure.

Grimacing Remus sat up, shaking his hands trying to get some feeling back in them. He sat back down on the seat he'd just been sitting in before Snape had purposely wound him up. He wasn't sure what Severus had hoped to gain from it, but he hoped he'd passed whatever test he was playing at. "Harry's your mate? Yet you decided to trade him? Harry won't like that you know." said Remus his disapproval showing.

"I knew he wouldn't, but I had to ensure Dumbledore couldn't touch him afterward." said Severus seriously, drinking some wine, which had miraculously managed not to tip over in the struggle. "He will find out about Harry's unbelievable feat sooner or later."

"You've been planning this for years," whispered Remus horrified, as he finally put everything together. "You must have realized Harry was your mate during the summer before his fourth year. That's when you started sending me the Wolfsbane Potions!"

"I couldn't let anything happen to him," said Severus impassively. He hadn't done it to win Lupin's approval no matter what the wolf thought.

"Why didn't you write to Harry? Let him in on what you were planning?!" asked Remus.

"He knows Occlumency?" asked Severus arching an eyebrow as if he'd already proved his point.

"Are you under the mistaken impression Harry even looks at Dumbledore? Or knows anyone who would read his mind?" shot Remus right back. "He loathes the old fool, Snape, I mean loathes him. Mentioning him causing Harry's wild magic to react explosively."

"Yes, it's very extreme, understandably so," said Severus, "Harry was…coerced into this, I had stipulated in the contract that he be willing and unhurt, both terms Dumbledore violated, Dumbledore blackmailed someone he 'hold's most dear' but that is all I got out of him. I was under the impression the hatred was deep before this."

"Well he was angry at him for the money, probably furious over the blackmail," admitted Remus, "That isn't the clincher that tied Harry's hatred of him." gulping down his wine, flexing his wrist damn, Snape hadn't half hurt him. Not that he would admit it, the wolf was a prideful animal, and part of the animal had rubbed off on Remus over the years. Whether he showed it or not, Remus was very proud.

"Go on," said Severus. He needed to know everything, especially in regards to his mate.

"He blames Dumbledore for his parent's deaths," said Remus.

"But he didn't have anything to do with it…did he?" asked Severus wondering if there was something else he wasn't aware of.

"They were in the Order, and he believes if they hadn't been they would never have been targeted," replied Remus. "I cannot blame him for that, I mean dozen of the Order members died, and only a few of their bodies were ever found."

"You speak as if you are no longer a member," stated Severus unsure if he should be amused or not.

"I'm not, Harry would never forgive me if I did." said Remus, "Dumbledore had been at me though, mercilessly trying to get me to reconsider."

"What became of Black?" asked Severus, changing the subject, "After you parted ways."

Remus sorted, only Snape could make something complicated sound so simple. "He rose up the ranks, he shares head duties with Shacklebolt for the entire Auror department. The idiot actually told me there was someone controlling Black the other night."

"It is possible," said Severus, he knew dozens of ways; surely Lupin had thought of them.

"I doubt it, Auror's get checked for tampering," said Remus, it wasn't just for tampering but to make sure they weren't abusing alcohol or taking dangerous or illegal potions equivalent of Muggle drugs. If they were caught with them in their system they'd be sacked on the spot.

Severus snorted at Lupin's naivety, "And you think there's no way people invented Potions to get around the Ministry checks? Or to pay someone to switch the tests to make it look clean?"

"I suppose," said Remus grudgingly, he actually hadn't thought of that. Did that mean Sirius might have been controlled all this time? It made no sense, what did anyone gain by controlling Sirius? Even if he was, it would change nothing. He couldn't choose Sirius over Harry, Harry had no one other than him. He would never abandon him, he loved him too much. He didn't think he could love a biological son more than he did Harry. Potion or no potion, he didn't think Harry would ever forgive Sirius. Harry was a rather unforgiving soul, no doubt thanks to those bloody Dursley's. Lose his respect once and that's it, he didn't give you a chance to do it again. It was a rather Slytherin view of the world.

"You won't know until you find out," said Severus, making the wolf realize he'd thought aloud.

"I don't think I want to," said Remus. "What happened to you?" he then asked abruptly changing the subject.

Severus smirked at Lupin, aware of his rather poor attempt at subtly changing the subject. He stared at the wizard, his dark piercing eyes almost judging him, wondering if he should even tell him anything. Werewolves had a natural Occlumency barrier, which would prevent any intrusion. He had gone so long without anyone knowing he was the vampire lord; he didn't want it getting out. The Princes had operated in secrecy, for generations. There were a lot more vampires these days than there had been back in the day. So it wasn't so easy to keep it a secret, especially with nosy old men like Dumbledore around.

"When the Dark Lord was defeated, I began changing, unknowingly receiving my inheritance from my mother's family," explained Severus, deciding on the truth. The wolf would probably find out from Harry sooner or later anyway.

"How come you didn't know?" asked Remus, families that had inheritances, had to tell the younger generation, it was expected. Otherwise, they'd begin changing having no idea what was happening to them. To do so is just unheard of unless of course the child had been orphaned at a young age. He might not know Severus very well, but he was certain he'd had his parents throughout his Hogwarts years.

"My mother didn't get an inheritance, the gene lay dormant. She left the family when she was seventeen, angry I would assume. I had no idea I may end up a vampire, but my seventeen birthday went without a hitch. I didn't change until I was twenty-one." said Severus smoothly.

"She should have told you," said Remus, he was shocked, parents should always tell their child, even if the gene lay dormant in them. Because one day it would come back out, it's just the way magic worked.

"Yes, she should've," said Severus impassively, he did not like speaking about his parents. Truth be told he had been glad to see the back of them. His father had hated him for having magic, and Severus hated Tobias for drinking. His mother hadn't been the maternal sort; the only thing they'd bonded over was Potions.

"So what happens now?" asked Remus realizing the man didn't want to talk about the past. Which was fine with him, it was time both put the past to bed where it belonged and concentrated on Harry.

"He has agreed to stay here for one year, at the end of it, if he doesn't wish to remain I've sworn not to stop him." said Severus, "With the added clause that he be allowed to see you and his friends three days a week from twelve until five."

"He's already here?" asked Remus his voice strangled as he processed this. He inhaled sharply, but he couldn't smell Harry, the only scents he was picking up were ones that smelt of death, vampires.

"He is," said Severus impassively.

"I want to see him," demanded Remus.

"He's sleeping," said Severus, he would control where and when Lupin saw Harry not the other way around. "He's had a hell of a day, he needs to come to terms with everything," he stated as his excuse for not allowing Remus to see.

"I need to see him, Snape," said Remus desperately; his son had been bloody blackmailed by Dumbledore into a Handfasting! Didn't Snape realize he needed someone to help him? There weren't many people who Harry would have willingly did this for, so it was either him or Maria, he would never forgive himself if Harry had done this to protect him.

"I will not change my mind," replied Severus determinedly. When he spoke he meant it, Lupin would come to realize this in time. It wasn't very often Severus changed his mind, to him it was almost like admitting he was wrong when he did so. "You will see him soon enough. For now, you will have to be content with the knowledge he will be safe." plus if he wanted Harry to begin relying on him, he couldn't have Lupin here right away.

"How do I know he won't be hurt by the others here?" asked Remus.

Severus smirked, "They know better than that, they know he is my mate and is strictly off limits."

"And you know for a fact they will listen to you?" said Remus doubtfully.

"Considering I am their Vampire Lord yes," said Severus sitting up straighter sweeping aside his robe, showing the coat of arms to the wolf. Giving him proof that he was indeed, what he'd just told him.

Remus gasped, mouth agape staring at the vampire as though he'd never seen him before. Harry was mated to vampire royalty, was the only thought that seemed to circle his mind. Harry was safe, safer than he'd ever be with him. "Does Harry know?"

"Of course," said Severus wryly, feeling amused by the dumbfounded look Lupin wore, not a very attractive sight on the bookish man.

Remus closed his eyes, his body was exhausted, yet his mind was working overdrive. This day had been one big surprise after another, and that wasn't even adding the possibility Black might be drugged. "Are you letting Harry continue his Hogwarts education?" considering the lengths Snape had gone to keep Dumbledore away from him, he suspected he already knew the answer to that question.

"I am undecided," admitted Severus reluctantly, his first instinct was to keep him here, keep him safe and out of Dumbledore and Voldemort's way. He would be educated better within these walls than he would at Hogwarts anyway. Yet, on the other hand, he knew it wasn't fair keeping Harry from his friends. There wasn't anyone Harry's age here; he would seek Harry's opinion before deciding. Not that he would decide solely on Harry's decision; he would just have to look at it from all angles before deciding.

Well, it was better than an outright decision, poor Harry; maybe it should be poor Snape? Harry wasn't going to enjoy someone making all his decisions for him. He was fiercely independent, had been for the past few years. Once he'd gotten more used to this new world, he had such a thirst to know everything related to the wizarding world. Harry wouldn't take it all lying down, it made Remus suppress his amusement. It was going to be amusing to watch. It was certainly something he was going to do.

"No doubt Harry will be in touch with you soon," said Severus standing up, finishing the meeting without resorting to small talk and ten goodbyes'.

"I hope so," said Remus realizing Severus wanted him to leave. He was about to walk to the door they'd come in when Severus stopped him.

"Use this fire," said Severus bluntly.

"Thank you," said Remus, "Tell Harry I'll talk to him soon." His tone becoming soft, love and fondness echoing the words. Admitting temporarily defeat, content that he was safe from Dumbledore and Voldemort he left through the Floo to process everything he'd learned that night.

"Indeed," said Severus, sighing in relief once he was alone. He may not need any more than one hour sleep, but it wasn't to say he couldn't get exhausted. Which he did, very frequently, without more ado, he immediately removed the wards on the door and exited his study. The feeling of elation he felt, seeing Harry occurred stronger than ever.

Stripping out of his clothes, he put on a pair of silk sleeping shorts and slid in beside Harry. He was a man of his word; nothing would happen until Harry was ready for it. It didn't mean he had to like it, especially seeing how delectable he was lying sleeping. Perhaps it hadn't been one of his best ideas. Especially if he was the one being teased, with every shred of bare flesh laid before him.


Edited 2/6/17